17 years ago, one of the scariest sci-fi films of all time was released. Tonight you can watch Steven Spielberg’s masterful War of the Worlds on TV.
Steven Spielberg has given us many outstanding blockbusters. There is no doubt about that. Yet there are some works in his oeuvre that often fall under the radar when it comes to his best. One of these is 2005’s War of the Worlds, the remake of H.G. Wells’ sci-fi classic of the same name.
War of the Worlds rarely appears on Spielberg best lists, although it definitely belongs there. Few filmmakers can boast such a terrifying blockbuster. At first glance, War of the Worlds looks like a classic science fiction film, but then the horror emerges more and more.
Scary science fiction film: Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds gets under your skin
War of the Worlds moves effortlessly between different genres, mixing elements of disaster and monster movies to the two mentioned, not to mention a nasty survival thriller. The Steven Spielberg of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial is hard to detect here.
Once the Tripods rise from the earth, Ray (Tom Cruise) and his family (Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin) begin a struggle for survival that Spielberg relentlessly stages. Three scenes in particular burn themselves into the memory because of their drastic images and the eerie story behind them.
Beyond that, War of the Worlds also has many haunting moments. John Williams’ soundtrack alone is a symphony of unease. And then there’s the unforgettable scene with the peanut butter sandwich, in which Tom Cruise delivers one of his best acting performances ever.
